Review: Inside Out

Telly Savalas is an American living in London, whose expensive lifestyle is catching up with him. In walks James Mason, as the former commander of a Nazi POW camp Savalas was sent to in WWII. He has an offer that Savalas can’t refuse. The plan is to break out a Nazi war criminal from prison because he knows the whereabouts of a sizeable amount of Nazi gold! To assist the two men, Savalas calls in a favour from a buddy with a knack for planning a breakout (Robert Culp). Gunter Meisner plays a German ex-corporal involved in the operation, whilst Aldo Ray plays a former camp buddy of Savalas’ who now works at the military prison.

 

It’s Telly Savalas going after Nazi gold again with this 1975 film from director Peter Duffell (the solid horror anthology “The House That Dripped Blood”), with an ex-Nazi joining in on the fun this time around. If you can get past that frankly questionable addition, this is actually a good caper. I have to confess, I was resistant at first, but not out of bad taste. It’s more that I couldn’t understand why these characters would trust a Nazi (or ex-Nazi). I wish the character were written with a sense of regret/distaste for the Nazi regime instead (All we get is a flippant, cynical line at the end). However, the stars are likeable and I had fun with this one in the end. In fact, the only real drawback for me was the ghastly 70s TV show-esque music score by Konrad Elfers (“Funeral in Berlin”).

 

Telly Savalas is in a cheerful and charming mood, Robert Culp is a likeable presence, and James Mason appears to be having lots of fun as the rather oily former camp commander. I may not have believed his character’s participation, but Mason’s in good form nonetheless. There’s also a very amusing, silly performance by German actor Gunter Meisner in a plum comic role where he even gets to impersonate Hitler (a role he played in serious fashion more than once). Tough guy Aldo Ray looks in rough physical shape here but it’s good to see him anyway in a small but amusing part.

 

Lumpy but entertaining and well-acted caper. If you can get past the rather dubious addition of a former Nazi as a protagonist and heist mastermind, this one is kind of a hoot, actually. Shame about the awful music, though. The screenplay is by Stephen Schneck (“Welcome to Blood City” with Jack Palance) and Judd Bernard (producer of “Point Blank” and “Enter the Ninja”).

 

Rating: B-

 

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